In other words, sewage hole covers, manhole covers, utility hole lids, maintenance hole lids… Surprisingly enough, this type of street art also exists in the World: manhole cover art. I was happy to find some Yerevan examples of such self-expression about a year ago, in multiple locations, one of which I am proudly presenting to you.

Even though manhole cover theft does happen, I believe these pieces of metal are often too heavy to be stolen, so this might be one of my most stable articles as a Spotter, needing the least updating ;-). These lids are stolen much more rarely than old buildings are demolished.

So, here’s my insight: first of all, most of the lids are blank and very inviting for any kind of art. Locals, especially the young ones, often complain that the city is uninteresting, doesn’t really entertain them, so it needs a change. Those who are motivated the most make the changes, and this manhole cover-art is one of the most interesting pieces of street art of the recent period.

The concept is very simple, doesn’t directly target any particular problem or isn’t easily linked to any wide-spread idea illustrating the local version of existential crisis. But I can sense a subtext behind it which might be referring to hard-working people doing all the unpleasant work and hardly earning enough to exist while a small number of rich people just get richer and never appreciate the shit work done for them. Shit happens :).